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La importancia de las estructuras y espacios sociales

  Estructuras Sociales, Espacios Comunes:  elementos fundamentales de una ciudad que promueven esparcimiento y sana convivencia Durante mi infancia y gran parte de mi adolescencia, tuve la dicha de experimentar tres ambientes distintos. Esos primeros días de mi existencia los viví entre el campo, el pueblo, y un par de barrios «populares» de la ciudad capital. Puerto El Gago, Penonomé, Concepción y Tocumen eran comunidades en donde parecía existir un pacto no escrito que promulgaba una sana convivencia. A pesar de la diferencia de ambientes (hasta podría decirse que de cultura) el comportamiento de los residentes era muy similar, y sus valores esencialmente los mismos. Existía un sentido de comunidad en los tres lugares que se caracterizaba fundamentalmente en la solidaridad, cooperación y el respeto mutuo. Obviamente había excepciones. Los vecinos problemáticos–los chicos «malos»– eran los menos, y conocidos por todos. Las actividades de la comunidad, desde las de carácter religioso h
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100 years of the Panama Canal Pilots Association, the passing on of a legacy

100 years of the PCPA (a family concept), and the passing on of a legacy. I never thought that by 2020 we would still have Captains Welch, Robbins, ( Robbins admitted the same too) or any other of the U.S. pilots with us. Neither did I think that Captain Jeremías De León, the first Panamanian Canal Pilot would be "sitting" next to them, patiently listening and ready to answer whatever we wanted to ask him.  I said "sitting" (in quotation marks) since the Pandemic prevents us from gathering at the Union hall, or anywhere else for that matter. It was a "Zoom" meeting, a virtual version of a real meeting. A collateral cause of the Pandemic. Thanks to technology I was able to enjoy the meeting from the comfort of the driver's seat of my vehicle, while parked in front of one of Felipe Motta's wine stores. The place could not have been more appropriate for the occasion given the current circumstances; this wasn't a regular meeting, it was the first e

Seafarers' wives, unsung heroes on land.

Let's blow the whistles for the sailors' wives ! Aren't they unsung heroes too?  We know about the struggles of seafarers and also about their frustrations for not being able to be home during an emergency, or during special moments. But, how about those loved ones on land who await for the seafarer to return? How about their struggles and frustrations? Captain Ricardo E Caballero Maritime Pilot The Coronavirus crisis unveiled the faces normally hidden behind the loud noise of normality. The world became aware of the fact that 90 percent of trade is done by sea, and that seafarers are essential to ensure that the supply chain is not severely disrupted.  Before the Pandemic, for many, seafarers were just regular people whose work had very little value. Oblivious of the importance of the shipping industry, people living ashore have long remained ignorant of the role of seafarers in keeping the wheel of trade turning.  Most are under the impression that seafarers are just toug

Piloting and the unstoppable wheel of technological innovation

Piloting and the unstoppable  wheel of technology. The dehumanizing process:  "There used to be people …"  When the wheel was invented, (over 3500 years BC according to archeological records) , it undoubtedly changed the  way humans used to move big, heavy stuff.  Surely, the new invention also reduced the amount of time and hands (manpower) previously required to perform such a task. Now those idling "extra hands"  could dedicate the "extra time" that was made available,  to take care of other issues important for the community.    The wheel was such an incredible invention, a masterpiece of human wit,  that has survived up until the present, almost unchanged.  We normally take from granted the fact that the tires of our vehicles are just the evolved version of those prehistoric wheels. Technological advance has always been the motor behind the modernization of civilization. We don't need to time travel back in order to recall the turning points in hi

Pilots: burden or necessity? Reality vs Ideal

Pilots: a burden or a necessity? Reality vs Ideal. Captain Ricardo Caballero Vega Panama Canal Pilot We all know, for being part of the shipping industry, what is the role of pilots. They act as advisors to the Captains when ships navigate in restricted waters. Their knowledge on currents, tides, depths, and resources, plus their ship handling skills are paramount to the safety of the ship, its cargo, the environment, the integrity of port facilities, and more. Having a pilot aboard is a relief for the Captain, is having the most valuable resource while in confined waters, it is having the expert.  But this isn't always the case according to a some deep sea ships' Captains.  I can understand that our presence in the bridge could be unsettling for some of the crewmembers, but not for the "Big Man". Most of the time we are treated with so much deference that we feel at home ( at times even better, something I never tell my wife). Normally, once I step aboard a ship the